Control system, control method, and computer-readable medium storing a program

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a control system, a control method, and a computer readable medium storing a program. The control system of the present disclosure which controls movement of a pallet on which a cargo is accommodated has: a determination section which determines whether an autonomous mobile robot which has a placement section capable of changing height and accommodates the cargo loaded on the placement section into the pallet moves toward the pallet in a state of keeping the cargo lifted above a predetermined height by the placement section in a predetermined plan; and a pallet control section which controls in a manner of moving the pallet toward the autonomous mobile robot in a case where it is determined that the autonomous mobile robot moves toward the pallet in the state of keeping the cargo lifted above the predetermined height by the placement section in the predetermined plan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a control system, a control method, and a program. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, technologies have been developed for using autonomous mobile robots to move goods in factories or warehouses. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-099724 discloses an autonomous mobile robot having a loading section for carrying goods. This autonomous mobile robot can move goods by moving while the goods are placed on the loading section. Furthermore, the height of the loading section can be changed in this autonomous mobile robot. Summary of the Invention

[0003] When goods are loaded onto the raised mounting platform, the autonomous mobile robot's posture stability decreases compared to when it is not in this state. Therefore, when the autonomous mobile robot moves in that state, risks such as tipping over due to posture instability may occur.

[0004] This disclosure is an invention made in light of the aforementioned actual situation, and its object is to provide a control system, control method, and program that can reduce the risk caused by the decrease in the stability of the posture of an autonomous mobile robot having a mounting part with adjustable height.

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned objective is a control system for controlling the movement of a trolley containing goods. The control system includes: a determination unit that determines whether there is a predetermined plan for an autonomous mobile robot, equipped with a height-adjustable mounting section and which stores goods loaded on the mounting section into the trolley, to move toward the trolley while maintaining a state where the goods are lifted to a predetermined height via the mounting section; and a trolley control unit that, if determined to have a predetermined plan for the autonomous mobile robot to move toward the trolley while maintaining a state where the goods are lifted to a predetermined height via the mounting section, controls the trolley to move toward the autonomous mobile robot.

[0006] According to this control system, since the trolley moves towards the autonomous mobile robot, the distance the autonomous mobile robot travels towards the trolley can be reduced. Therefore, the distance the autonomous mobile robot travels when loading goods on the raised platform—that is, in an unstable state—can be shortened. This reduces the risk caused by decreased stability in the autonomous mobile robot's posture.

[0007] In one of the above methods, the determination unit may also make a determination based on information detected by a sensor that indicates the height of the mounting section or the height of the goods on the mounting section.

[0008] Based on this structure, it is easy to determine whether the autonomous mobile robot is moving toward the trolley while maintaining the state of lifting the goods to a predetermined height through the loading section.

[0009] In one of the above methods, the determination unit may also make a determination based on control information about the height of the mounting unit received from the autonomous mobile robot.

[0010] Based on this structure, it is easy to determine whether the autonomous mobile robot is moving toward the trolley while maintaining the state of lifting the goods to a predetermined height through the loading section.

[0011] In one of the above methods, the determination unit may also make a determination based on the predetermined storage location of the goods in the trolley.

[0012] Based on this structure, regardless of whether the loading section has been raised, it is easy to determine whether the autonomous mobile robot is moving toward the trolley while maintaining the state of lifting the goods above the predetermined height through the loading section.

[0013] In one of the above methods, the goods may also be provided with protrusions that extend horizontally on both sides, the trolley has an open basket, the basket has a support on its inner side that supports the protrusions, and the trolley control unit moves the trolley so that the loading part is inside the basket.

[0014] With this structure, the loading of goods onto the trolley is achieved not through the movement of the autonomous mobile robot, but through the movement of the trolley itself. Therefore, the risks associated with the autonomous mobile robot moving to load goods onto the trolley are reduced.

[0015] Another aspect of this disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned objective is a control method for controlling the movement of a trolley containing goods. In this method, it is determined whether there is a predetermined plan for an autonomous mobile robot, which has a mounting section capable of changing height and which stores the goods loaded on the mounting section into the trolley, to move toward the trolley while maintaining a state in which the goods are lifted to a predetermined height above the mounting section. If it is determined that there is a predetermined plan for the autonomous mobile robot to move toward the trolley while maintaining a state in which the goods are lifted to a predetermined height above the mounting section, the trolley is controlled to move toward the autonomous mobile robot.

[0016] According to this control method, since the trolley moves towards the autonomous mobile robot, the distance the autonomous mobile robot moves towards the trolley can be reduced. Therefore, the distance the autonomous mobile robot moves in the state of loading goods on the raised platform—that is, in an unstable state—can be shortened. Thus, the risk caused by the decrease in the stability of the autonomous mobile robot's posture is reduced.

[0017] Another aspect of this disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned objective is a program that causes a computer controlling the movement of a trolley containing goods to perform the following steps: a determination step that determines whether there is a predetermined plan for an autonomous mobile robot, which has a height-adjustable loading section and which stores the goods loaded on the loading section into the trolley, to move toward the trolley while maintaining a state in which the goods are lifted to a predetermined height above the loading section; and a trolley control step that, if it is determined that there is a predetermined plan for the autonomous mobile robot to move toward the trolley while maintaining a state in which the goods are lifted to a predetermined height above the loading section, controls the trolley to move toward the autonomous mobile robot.

[0018] According to this procedure, since the trolley moves towards the autonomous mobile robot, the distance the autonomous mobile robot travels towards the trolley can be reduced. Therefore, the distance the autonomous mobile robot travels in a state of instability—where goods are loaded on an elevated platform—can be shortened. This reduces the risk caused by decreased stability in the autonomous mobile robot's posture.

[0019] According to this disclosure, a control system, control method, and program can be provided to reduce the risk caused by the decrease in the stability of the posture of an autonomous mobile robot having a mounting part with adjustable height.

[0020] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given below and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example only, and should therefore not be considered as limitations on this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic side view illustrating an example of the autonomous mobile robot according to Embodiment 1.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the general system structure of the autonomous mobile robot according to Embodiment 1.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the trolley involved in Embodiment 1.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating the general system structure of the trolley involved in Embodiment 1.

[0025] Figure 5 A perspective view showing an example of goods stored on a trolley.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of an autonomous mobile robot entering the basket of a trolley.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the control device for the trolley according to Embodiment 1.

[0028] Figure 8A This is a schematic diagram showing the movement of a trolley controlled by a trolley control unit.

[0029] Figure 8B This is a schematic diagram showing the movement of a trolley controlled by a trolley control unit.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow of the control device for the trolley according to Embodiment 1.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the determination unit involved in Implementation 1.

[0032] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the determination unit involved in Embodiment 2.

[0033] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the determination unit involved in Embodiment 3. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] <Implementation Method 1>

[0036] The handling system according to Embodiment 1 will be described. This handling system includes an autonomous mobile robot 10 and a trolley 20. Alternatively, the handling system may include either multiple autonomous mobile robots 10 or multiple trolleys 20.

[0037] Figure 1 Here is a schematic side view illustrating an example of the autonomous mobile robot 10 according to the embodiment. Furthermore, Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating a general system structure of the autonomous mobile robot 10 according to this embodiment. Furthermore, Figure 3 This is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the trolley 20 according to this embodiment; specifically, it is a perspective view showing the front of the trolley 20. Furthermore, in Figure 3 In addition to showing the trolley 20, the document also shows the cargo 90 stored within the trolley 20. Furthermore, Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating the general system structure of the trolley 20 involved in this embodiment.

[0038] First, the autonomous mobile robot 10 will be described. The autonomous mobile robot 10 is a robot that moves autonomously in mobile environments such as residences, facilities, warehouses, factories, and outdoors. Although in this embodiment the autonomous mobile robot 10 is controlled by the control device 100 described later, some or all of the control functions may also be implemented by devices other than the autonomous mobile robot 10, such as servers.

[0039] The autonomous mobile robot 10 includes: a basket 110, which has a moving device 111 for moving the autonomous mobile robot 10; a telescopic part 120 that extends and retracts in the up and down direction; a carrying part 130 for supporting the carried goods; a control device 100 for controlling the autonomous mobile robot 10, including controlling the moving device 111 and the telescopic part 120; and a wireless communication part 140.

[0040] The mobile device 111, mounted on the basket 110, has a pair of left and right drive wheels 112 and a pair of front and rear driven wheels 113 rotatably mounted on the basket 110, and a pair of motors 114 that drive the drive wheels 112 to rotate. The motors 114 rotate the drive wheels 112 via a reducer or the like. By rotating the drive wheels 112 according to control signals from the control device 100, the motors 114 enable the autonomous mobile robot 10 to move forward, backward, and rotate. Thus, the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move to any position. Furthermore, the structure of the mobile device 111 described above is an example and is not limited thereto. For example, the number of drive wheels 112 and driven wheels 113 of the mobile device 111 can be arbitrary, as long as the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move to any position; any structure can be applied.

[0041] The telescopic section 120 is a telescopic mechanism that extends and retracts in the upward and downward direction, and serves as a support column that supports the mounting section 130 at the upper part of the basket 110. The telescopic section 120 can also be configured as a sleeve-type telescopic mechanism. The mounting section 130 is provided at the upper end of the telescopic section 120, and the mounting section 130 rises or falls by the movement of the telescopic section 120. The telescopic section 120 includes a drive device 121 such as a motor, and extends and retracts by being driven by the drive device 121. That is, the mounting section 130 rises or falls by being driven by the drive device 121. The drive device 121 is driven according to a control signal from the control device 100. Alternatively, in the autonomous mobile robot 10, any known mechanism for controlling the height of the mounting section 130 located on the upper side of the basket 110 can be used instead of a telescopic mechanism.

[0042] The loading section 130 is located at the upper part (top) of the telescopic section 120. That is, the loading section 130 is positioned above the basket 110 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 via the telescopic section 120. The loading section 130 is raised and lowered by a drive device 121 such as a motor. In this embodiment, the loading section 130 is used to load goods transported by the autonomous mobile robot 10, or to support and lift the goods. For transport, the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves along with the goods while supporting them using the loading section 130. Thus, the autonomous mobile robot 10 transports the goods.

[0043] The mounting portion 130 is made of a plate, for example. Although in this embodiment the shape of the plate, that is, the shape of the mounting portion 130, is, for example, a flat disc, it can also be any other shape. In this way, the mounting portion 130 can also be described as a plate whose height can be changed by a drive device 121 (actuator).

[0044] The wireless communication unit 140 is a circuit for wireless communication with the trolley 20 or a server, etc., as needed. For example, it includes a wireless receiving circuit and an antenna. Alternatively, if the autonomous mobile robot 10 does not communicate with other devices, the wireless communication unit 140 can be omitted.

[0045] The control device 100 is a device for controlling the autonomous mobile robot 10, and includes a processor 101, a memory 102, and an interface 103. The processor 101, the memory 102, and the interface 103 are interconnected via a data bus or the like.

[0046] Interface 103 is an input / output circuit used for communication with other devices such as mobile device 111, telescopic part 120, and wireless communication part 140.

[0047] The memory 102 is composed, for example, of a combination of volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The memory 102 is used to store software (computer programs) containing one or more commands executed by the processor 101, as well as data used in various processes of the autonomous mobile robot 10.

[0048] The processor 101 performs the processing of the control device 100 by reading software (computer program) from the memory 102 and executing it.

[0049] Processor 101 may be, for example, a microprocessor, an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), or a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Processor 101 may also contain multiple processors.

[0050] In this way, the control device 100 functions as a computer.

[0051] The program includes a set of commands (or software code) that, when read by a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions described in the implementation. The program may also be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium. By way of example, not limiting, computer-readable media or physical storage media include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM (read-only optical disc), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray (registered trademark) optical disc or other optical disc storage, cassette tape, magnetic tape, disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices. The program may also be transmitted on a transient computer-readable medium or communication medium. By way of example, not limiting, transient computer-readable media or communication media include electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of transmission signals.

[0052] Furthermore, the above description of the procedure also applies to procedures executed in other devices such as the trolley 20.

[0053] Next, the processing of the control device 100 will be explained.

[0054] The control device 100 controls the movements of the autonomous mobile robot 10. Specifically, the control device 100 controls the movements of the moving device 111 and the telescopic unit 120. The control device 100 can control the rotation of the drive wheels 112 by sending a control signal to the motor 114 of the moving device 111, thereby moving the autonomous mobile robot 10 to any position. Furthermore, the control device 100 can control the height of the mounting section 130 by sending a control signal to the drive device 121 of the telescopic unit 120.

[0055] The control device 100 can also control the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10 by performing well-known control methods such as feedback control and robust control based on rotation information of the drive wheel 112 detected by a rotation sensor mounted on the drive wheel 112. Furthermore, the control device 100 can also control the movement device 111 based on environmental information detected by sensors such as cameras mounted on the autonomous mobile robot 10, and map information of the movement environment stored in the memory 102, thereby enabling the autonomous mobile robot 10 to move autonomously.

[0056] Specifically, the control device 100 controls the movement of goods loaded on the loading section 130 to the trolley 20. Therefore, in order to move the goods to the trolley 20, the control device 100 moves the autonomous mobile robot 10 to the position of the trolley 20. Furthermore, the position of the trolley 20 can be notified to the autonomous mobile robot 10 from other devices (e.g., a server or the trolley 20 itself), or it can be specifically designated based on environmental information detected by sensors possessed by the autonomous mobile robot 10. In addition, the control device 100 controls the movement of the loading section 130 to a height corresponding to the height of the storage position on the trolley 20, prior to the storage of the goods on the trolley 20.

[0057] Next, the trolley 20 will be described. The trolley 20 is also a robot that moves autonomously in mobile environments such as residences, facilities, warehouses, factories, and outdoors, and its movements are controlled by a control system. Furthermore, although in this embodiment the control device 200, described later, functions as a control system, some or all of the functions of the control system can be implemented in devices other than the trolley 20, such as servers. In addition, the movement ranges of the trolley 20 and the autonomous mobile robot 10 can be different. For example, the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move within a local area, while the trolley 20 can move between multiple local areas.

[0058] The trolley 20 includes: a basket 210, which has a moving device 211 for moving the trolley 20; a control device 200, which implements control of the trolley 20 including control of the moving device 211; a sensor 220; and a wireless communication unit 230.

[0059] The moving device 211 mounted on the basket 210 includes, for example, four drive wheels 212 rotatably mounted on the basket 210, and a motor 213 that drives the drive wheels 212 to rotate. The motor 213 rotates the drive wheels 212 via a speed reducer or the like. By rotating the drive wheels 212 according to a control signal from the control device 200, the motor 213 enables the trolley 20 to move forward, backward, and rotate. Thus, the trolley 20 can be moved to any position. Furthermore, the structure of the moving device 211 described above is an example and is not limited thereto; any structure can be applied as long as the trolley 20 can be moved to any position.

[0060] The basket 210 forms the body of the trolley 20. Furthermore, the basket 210 has internal space. Although in Figure 3In the example shown, the basket 210 is rectangular in shape, but its front is an inverted U-shape with an opening. That is, the cross-section of the vertical surface of the basket 210 is a U-shaped inverted form. Therefore, goods 90 can be placed into or removed from the storage space within the basket 210 through this opening. Here, the storage space refers to the space within the basket 210 containing the goods 90. Specifically, since the opening extends to the travel surface of the trolley 20, the autonomous mobile robot 10, with goods 90 loaded on the loading section 130, can enter the inside of the basket 210. In other words, the trolley 20 can move in a manner that receives the autonomous mobile robot 10 into the basket 210. In this way, the opening of the basket 210 allows the autonomous mobile robot 10 and the goods 90 on the loading section 130 to enter the basket 210 together. Furthermore, here, the surface with an opening on the outer surface of the housing 210 other than the upper and lower surfaces is referred to as the front. The back of the housing 210 may also have an opening in the same way as the front.

[0061] The basket 210 contains 90 items. Figure 3 In the example shown, multiple goods 90 can be stored in the basket 210 in a vertically parallel arrangement. Although in Figure 3 In the example shown, the basket 210 has one row of storage space, but it can also have multiple rows of storage space by setting a divider parallel to the vertical plane inside the basket 210.

[0062] Inside the basket 210, within the storage space, pairs of tracks 215a and 215b are provided on both sides. Hereinafter, the pairs of tracks 215a and 215b will simply be referred to as tracks 215. More specifically, multiple sets of tracks 215 are arranged side-by-side in the vertical direction. Tracks 215a and 215b are arranged parallel to each other, extending from the front to the back of the basket 210 at the same height. Although... Figure 3 In the trolley 20 shown, multiple sets of rails 215 are arranged in the vertical direction at fixed intervals, but the intervals may not be fixed. The rails 215 are used to support the two sides of the cargo 90, thereby allowing the cargo 90 to be housed within the trolley 20. More specifically, the protrusion 91 of the cargo 90, described later, is supported by the rails 215. Furthermore, the rails 215 are one example of a support component that supports the protrusion 91 of the cargo 90. Alternatively, instead of the rails 215, grooves arranged parallel to each other across the front and back of the basket 210 can be used as a support component. That is, the basket 210 only needs to have any support component that supports the two sides of the cargo 90.

[0063] In this embodiment, the cargo 90 stored in the trolley 20 is a rectangular box that can hold items. Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing an example of goods 90 housed in trolley 20. More specifically, Figure 5 This is a perspective view showing the front, bottom, and side views of the cargo 90. Horizontally projecting protrusions 91 (flanges) are provided on both sides of the cargo 90. The protrusions 91 extend from the front to the back of the cargo 90 on both sides. The cargo 90 is supported from below by the left and right protrusions 91 on the rails 215 mounted on the trolley 20, thereby storing the cargo 90 within the basket 210. For example, after the autonomous mobile robot 10 enters the basket 210 with the protrusions 91 of the cargo 90 on the loading section 130 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 above the rails 215 (see reference...). Figure 6 The autonomous mobile robot 10 lowers the loading section 130, thereby causing the protrusion 91 to be hooked onto the track 215, so that the cargo 90 is stored in the trolley 20.

[0064] return Figure 4 The structure of trolley 20 will be explained further.

[0065] Sensor 220 is a sensor that is positioned at any location on the trolley 20 and detects appearance information related to the autonomous mobile robot 10. For example, while sensor 220 can be a camera, it can also be any sensor, such as a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor, that detects appearance information of an object. The output of sensor 220 is input to the control device 200. In this embodiment, sensor 220 is used to specifically specify the height of the mounting section 130 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 or the height of the cargo 90 on the mounting section 130. Furthermore, the height of the mounting section 130 refers to the vertical distance between the location of the mounting section 130 and the ground or floor surface. Similarly, the height of the cargo 90 on the mounting section 130 refers to the vertical distance between the location of the cargo 90 and the ground or floor surface.

[0066] The wireless communication unit 230 is a circuit for wireless communication with the autonomous mobile robot 10 or a server, etc., as needed. It includes, for example, a wireless receiving circuit and an antenna. Alternatively, the wireless communication unit 230 can be omitted if the trolley 20 does not communicate with other devices.

[0067] The control device 200 is a device for controlling the trolley 20, and includes a processor 201, a memory 202, and an interface 203. The processor 201, the memory 202, and the interface 203 are interconnected via a data bus or the like.

[0068] Interface 203 is an input / output circuit used for communication with other devices such as mobile device 211, sensor 220, and wireless communication unit 230.

[0069] The memory 202 is composed of, for example, a combination of volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The memory 202 is used to store software (computer programs) containing one or more instructions executed by the processor 201, as well as data used in various processes on the vehicle 20.

[0070] The processor 201 performs the processing of the control device 200 by reading software (computer program) from the memory 202 and executing it.

[0071] Processor 201 may also be, for example, a microprocessor, an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), or a CPU. Processor 201 may also include multiple processors.

[0072] In this way, the control device 200 functions as a computer.

[0073] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the control device 200 for the trolley 20. (See diagram for example.) Figure 7 As shown, the control device 200 includes a determination unit 240 and a trolley control unit 241.

[0074] The determination unit 240 determines whether the autonomous mobile robot 10 has a predetermined plan to move toward the trolley 20 while maintaining the state of lifting the cargo 90 to a predetermined height or above by the loading unit 130. Since such movement is movement in a state of reduced posture stability of the autonomous mobile robot 10, it will be referred to as unstable movement below.

[0075] The determination unit 240 determines whether the autonomous mobile robot 10, which is detected as the one that collects the goods 90 loaded on the loading unit 130 into the trolley 20, has a predetermined plan for unstable movement. Furthermore, the detection of the autonomous mobile robot 10 that collects the goods 90 loaded on the loading unit 130 into the trolley 20 can be implemented by any method. For example, it can be detected based on a notification from the autonomous mobile robot 10 that collects the goods 90 loaded on the loading unit 130 into the trolley 20, or it can be detected as an autonomous mobile robot 10 existing in an area within a predetermined distance from the trolley 20.

[0076] In this embodiment, the determination unit 240 determines whether there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement based on information detected by the sensor 220 indicating the height of the mounting section 130 or the height of the goods 90 on the mounting section 130. For example, if the height of the mounting section 130 of the autonomous mobile robot 10, which is specifically designated based on the output information of the sensor 220, is above a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement for the autonomous mobile robot 10. Furthermore, if the height of the goods 90 on the mounting section 130, which is specifically designated based on the output information of the sensor 220, is above a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement for the autonomous mobile robot 10 having the mounting section 130.

[0077] The trolley control unit 241 controls the movement of the trolley 20. That is, the trolley control unit 241 controls the operation of the moving device 211. The trolley control unit 241 can control the rotation of the drive wheel 212 by sending a control signal to the motor 213 of the moving device 211, thereby moving the trolley 20 to any position.

[0078] The trolley control unit 241 can also control the movement of the trolley 20 by performing well-known control methods such as feedback control and robust control based on rotation information of the drive wheels 212 detected by rotation sensors mounted on the drive wheels 212. Furthermore, the trolley control unit 241 can also control the movement device 211 based on environmental information detected by sensors such as cameras mounted on the trolley 20, and map information of the moving environment stored in the memory 202, thereby enabling the trolley 20 to move autonomously. The sensor 220, used to specifically specify the height of the mounting section 130 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 or the height of the cargo 90 on the mounting section 130, can also be a sensor used to sense the moving environment when the trolley 20 moves.

[0079] Specifically, the trolley control unit 241 controls the trolley 20 to move toward the autonomous mobile robot 10 when it is determined that there is a predetermined plan for the autonomous mobile robot 10 to move toward the trolley 20 while maintaining the cargo 90 lifted above a predetermined height by the loading unit 130. That is, the trolley control unit 241 controls the trolley 20 to move toward the autonomous mobile robot 10 when it is determined by the determination unit 240 that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10. With this control, since the trolley 20 moves toward the autonomous mobile robot 10, the distance the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves toward the trolley 20 can be reduced. Therefore, the distance the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves in the unstable state of loading the cargo 90 onto the raised loading unit 130 can be shortened. Therefore, the risk caused by the decrease in the stability of the autonomous mobile robot 10's posture can be reduced.

[0080] Furthermore, when the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10, the trolley control unit 241 can also implement control such as moving the trolley 20 toward the autonomous mobile robot 10. That is, the trolley control unit 241 can also move the trolley 20 so that the loading section 130 enters the basket 210. Here, the state of the loading section 130 entering specifically refers to, for example, the state where the goods 90 on the loading section 130 reaches the storage position inside the basket 210. That is, it can also be said that the state of the loading section 130 entering is the state where the protrusions 91 on both sides of the goods 90 are directly above the pair of tracks 215. In addition, the state of the loading section 130 entering can also be the state where at least a part of the loading section 130 enters. Such control will be shown in Figure 8A as well as Figure 8B In the case where the predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10 is determined by the determination unit 240, such as... Figure 8AAs shown, the trolley control unit 241 controls the movement of the trolley 20 toward the autonomous mobile robot 10. Alternatively, the trolley control unit 241 can adjust the orientation of the trolley 20 so that the relative orientation of the protrusions 91 on both sides of the cargo 90 relative to the pair of tracks 215 is the orientation necessary for storage. In other words, the trolley control unit 241 can also adjust the orientation of the trolley 20 so that the extending direction of the tracks 215 is aligned with the extending direction of the protrusions 91. Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot 10 can also adjust its orientation. Needless to say, when the relative orientation of the protrusions 91 on both sides of the cargo 90 relative to the pair of tracks 215 is already aligned with the orientation necessary for storage, there is no need to adjust the orientation of the trolley 20 or the autonomous mobile robot 10. Moreover, as... Figure 8B As shown, the trolley control unit 241 moves the trolley 20 so that the loading unit 130 enters the basket 210. That is, the trolley control unit 241 moves the trolley 20 to receive the autonomous mobile robot 10 into the basket 210. Figure 8B In the shown state, when the autonomous mobile robot 10 lowers the loading section 130, the protrusions 91 on both sides of the cargo 90 engage with the track 215, thereby storing the cargo 90. Then, the autonomous mobile robot 10 moves in a manner that disengages from the trolley 20. When the cargo 90 is stored inside the trolley 20, for example, the trolley control unit 241 moves the trolley 20 to its destination to transport the cargo 90 there.

[0081] Under this control, the storage of goods 90 into the trolley 20 is achieved not by the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10, but by the movement of the trolley 20. Therefore, the risks arising from the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10 to store goods 90 in the trolley 20 can be reduced. Furthermore, for storing goods 90, not only the trolley 20 but also the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move. That is, both the trolley 20 and the autonomous mobile robot 10 can move closer to each other.

[0082] Alternatively, the storage of goods 90 into the trolley 20 can also be achieved solely through the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10. In this case, the control device 100 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 detects the opening of the trolley 20 (basket 210) using sensors, etc., and controls the autonomous mobile robot 10 to move from the opening into the basket 210. At this time, the control device 100 adjusts the orientation of the autonomous mobile robot 10 so that the relative orientation of the protrusions 91 on both sides of the goods 90 with respect to the pair of tracks 215 of the trolley 20 is the orientation necessary for storage. In addition, in this case, the orientation of the protrusions 91 of the goods 90 on the loading section 130 is known to the autonomous mobile robot 10. The orientation of the protrusions 91 of the goods 90 on the loading section 130 can also be detected by sensors, etc., provided by the autonomous mobile robot 10. Furthermore, in order to fix the orientation of the goods 90 on the loading section 130 (the orientation of the protrusions 91), either operational rules can be stipulated, or physical restrictions can be implemented.

[0083] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow of the control device 200 of the trolley 20 according to this embodiment. Hereinafter, the processing flow of the control device 200 of the trolley 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart.

[0084] In step S10, the determination unit 240 determines whether there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement. The specific processing of step S10 in this embodiment will be referred to... Figure 10 Let me explain. Figure 10 Here, a flowchart illustrates the processing flow of the determination unit 240 according to this embodiment. That is, Figure 10 "S" is a flowchart illustrating the specific processing flow of step S10 involved in this embodiment.

[0085] First, in step S100, the determination unit 240 obtains information indicating the height of the mounting section 130 (the height of the goods 90 on the mounting section 130) detected by the sensor 220. For example, the determination unit 240 obtains the height of the mounting section 130 (the height of the goods 90 on the mounting section 130) by specifically specifying the position of the mounting section 130 (the position of the goods 90 on the mounting section 130) based on the output information of the sensor 220. Alternatively, to detect the height of the mounting section 130 (the height of the goods 90 on the mounting section 130), the sensor 220 installed on the trolley 20 may not be used, but a sensor installed in the moving environment may be used instead.

[0086] Next, in step S101, the determination unit 240 determines whether the height obtained in step S100 is above a predetermined threshold. If the height obtained in step S100 is above the predetermined threshold (yes in step S101), in step S102, the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement. Conversely, if the height obtained in step S100 is below the predetermined threshold (no in step S101), in step S103, the determination unit 240 determines that there is no predetermined plan for unstable movement.

[0087] return Figure 9 The processing after step S10 will be explained. If it is determined in step S10 that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement (yes in step S20), the processing of step S30 will be implemented. If it is determined in step S10 that there is no predetermined plan for unstable movement (no in step S20), the processing of step S30 will not be implemented.

[0088] In step S30, the trolley control unit 241 controls the trolley 20 to move toward the autonomous mobile robot 10 that houses the goods 90 in the trolley 20. Alternatively, as described above, the trolley control unit 241 can also move the trolley 20 so that the loading section 130 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 enters the basket 210.

[0089] The above describes Embodiment 1. According to this embodiment, as described above, in the case of a predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10, since the trolley 20 moves toward the autonomous mobile robot 10, the risk caused by the decrease in the stability of the autonomous mobile robot 10's posture is reduced.

[0090] <Implementation Method 2>

[0091] This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that it uses a different method to determine whether there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement. Furthermore, although the processing of the determination unit 240 of the control device 200 differs in this embodiment, other processing and structure are the same as in Embodiment 1. In the following description, the differences from Embodiment 1 will be explained, and descriptions that are repeated in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0092] In this embodiment, the determination unit 240 determines whether the autonomous mobile robot 10 has a predetermined plan for unstable movement based on control information received from the autonomous mobile robot 10 regarding the height of the loading section 130, which is stored in the trolley 20. The control information regarding the height of the loading section 130 refers to information used by the control device 100 of the autonomous mobile robot 10. Specifically, it can be, for example, a control signal sent to the drive device 121 to change the height of the loading section 130, or information managed by the control device 100 indicating the current height of the loading section 130. In this embodiment, the control device 100 of the autonomous mobile robot 10 sends such control information regarding the height of the loading section 130 to the trolley 20, the destination of the storage of the goods 90. The determination unit 240 of the trolley 20, upon receiving this control information, specifically specifies the height of the loading section 130 based on the received control information. In addition, when the received information is a control signal, the determination unit 240 may refer to, for example, a pre-defined lookup table and specify the height of the mounting unit 130 according to the control signal.

[0093] Then, if the height of the specially designated mounting section 130 is above a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement for the autonomous mobile robot 10. If the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10, the trolley control unit 241 implements the same control as in Embodiment 1.

[0094] Figure 11 Here is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the determination unit 240 according to Embodiment 2. That is, Figure 11 Let S be the step S10 involved in implementation method 2. Figure 9 Refer to the flowchart of the specific processing flow. In this embodiment, steps S110 to S113 are performed as the specific processing of step S10.

[0095] First, in step S110, the determination unit 240 obtains control information regarding the height of the mounting unit 130 used by the control device 100 of the autonomous mobile robot 10. Then, the determination unit 240 specifically specifies the height of the mounting unit 130 based on the obtained control information.

[0096] Next, in step S111, the determination unit 240 determines whether the height specifically specified in step S110 is above a predetermined threshold. If the height specifically specified in step S110 is above the predetermined threshold (yes in step S111), in step S112, the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement. Conversely, if the height obtained in step S110 is less than the predetermined threshold (no in step S111), in step S113, the determination unit 240 determines that there is no predetermined plan for unstable movement.

[0097] The above describes Embodiment 2. Even in this embodiment, where there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10, the risk of decreased attitude stability of the autonomous mobile robot 10 is reduced because the trolley 20 moves toward the autonomous mobile robot 10.

[0098] <Implementation Method 3>

[0099] This embodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that it uses a different method to determine whether there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement. Furthermore, although the processing of the determination unit 240 of the control device 200 is different in this embodiment, other processing and structure are the same as in Embodiment 1. In the following description, the differences from Embodiment 1 will be explained, and descriptions that are repeated in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0100] In this embodiment, the determination unit 240 determines whether there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement for the autonomous mobile robot 10 based on the predetermined storage position of the goods 90 in the trolley 20. It is envisioned that if the predetermined storage position of the goods 90 is high, the autonomous mobile robot 10 may raise and move the loading unit 130 to store the goods 90 at that predetermined storage position. Therefore, in this embodiment, whether there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement for the autonomous mobile robot 10 is determined by the predetermined storage position. The trolley 20 can receive the predetermined storage position from the autonomous mobile robot 10 storing the goods 90 in the trolley 20, or from another server. Furthermore, if the available storage positions within the basket 210 are already managed, the predetermined storage position can be specifically designated based on information indicating the available storage positions. In this case, for example, the determination unit 240 may specifically designate the highest available storage position as the predetermined storage position.

[0101] Then, if the height of the predetermined storage position for the cargo 90, which is stored by the autonomous mobile robot 10, is above a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement for the autonomous mobile robot 10. If the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10, the trolley control unit 241 will implement the same control as in Embodiment 1.

[0102] Figure 12 Here is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the determination unit 240 according to Embodiment 3. That is, Figure 12 Let S be the step S10 involved in implementation method 3. Figure 9 Refer to the flowchart of the specific processing flow. In this embodiment, steps S120 to S123 are performed as the specific processing of step S10.

[0103] First, in step S120, the determination unit 240 obtains the predetermined storage position of the cargo 90 loaded on the loading unit 130 by the autonomous mobile robot 10.

[0104] Next, in step S121, the determination unit 240 determines whether the height of the predetermined storage position obtained in step S120 is above or above a predetermined threshold. If the height of the predetermined storage position is above or above the predetermined threshold (yes in step S121), in step S122, the determination unit 240 determines that there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement. Conversely, if the height of the predetermined storage position is below the predetermined threshold (no in step S121), in step S123, the determination unit 240 determines that there is no predetermined plan for unstable movement.

[0105] The above describes Embodiment 3. In this embodiment, when there is a predetermined plan for unstable movement of the autonomous mobile robot 10, the risk caused by the decrease in the stability of the autonomous mobile robot 10's posture is reduced because the trolley 20 moves toward the autonomous mobile robot 10. In particular, in this embodiment, regardless of whether the loading section 130 has been raised, it is easy to determine whether the predetermined plan is for the autonomous mobile robot 10 to move toward the trolley 20 while maintaining a state of lifting the goods to a predetermined height above the loading section 130. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the trolley 20 can begin moving to reduce risk before the loading section 130 is raised.

[0106] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, part or all of the control processing of the trolley 20 or the autonomous mobile robot 10 can be implemented by a device such as a server. In addition, in the above embodiments, it was explained that, in order to reduce risk, the trolley is moved in a manner where the autonomous mobile robot 10 is located within the basket 210 of the trolley 20. However, the state in which the autonomous mobile robot 10 is located within the basket 210 of the trolley 20 may also be achieved without the movement of the trolley 20. Furthermore, in this case, the goods 90 can be loaded onto the trolley 20 even when the autonomous mobile robot 10 is outside the basket 210 of the trolley 20, using a robotic arm or similar device provided with the autonomous mobile robot 10. Furthermore, the determination unit 240 can simultaneously use various determination methods described in embodiments 1 to 3.

[0107] As will be apparent from the present disclosure as described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure may be varied in many ways. Such variations should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and all such modifications that will be apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control system that controls movement of a pallet on which a cargo is stored, the control system having: a determination section that determines whether or not an autonomous mobile robot that has a placement section capable of changing height and stores the cargo loaded on the placement section into the pallet moves toward the pallet in a state of keeping the cargo lifted above a predetermined height by the placement section in accordance with a predetermined plan; and a pallet control section that controls the pallet to move toward the autonomous mobile robot in a case where it is determined that the autonomous mobile robot moves toward the pallet in the state of keeping the cargo lifted above the predetermined height by the placement section in accordance with the predetermined plan.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the determination section performs determination based on information indicating a height of the placement section or a height of the cargo on the placement section that is detected using a sensor.

3. The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination section performs determination based on control information regarding the height of the placement section received from the autonomous mobile robot.

4. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determination section performs determination based on a storage predetermined position of the cargo in the pallet.

5. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cargo has protrusions protruding in a horizontal direction on both side surfaces, the pallet has a basket with an opening, the basket has a support section that supports the protrusions on an inner side, and the pallet control section moves the pallet in a manner that becomes a state in which the placement section enters the basket.

6. A control method that controls movement of a pallet on which a cargo is stored, in the control method, determination is performed as to whether or not an autonomous mobile robot that has a placement section capable of changing height and stores the cargo loaded on the placement section into the pallet moves toward the pallet in a state of keeping the cargo lifted above a predetermined height by the placement section in accordance with a predetermined plan, and in a case where it is determined that the autonomous mobile robot moves toward the pallet in the state of keeping the cargo lifted above the predetermined height by the placement section in accordance with the predetermined plan, the pallet is controlled to move toward the autonomous mobile robot.

7. A computer-readable medium that stores a program, wherein the program causes a computer that controls movement of a pallet on which a cargo is stored to perform the following steps: a determination step that determines whether or not an autonomous mobile robot that has a placement section capable of changing height and stores the cargo loaded on the placement section into the pallet moves toward the pallet in a state of keeping the cargo lifted above a predetermined height by the placement section in accordance with a predetermined plan; and a pallet control step that controls the pallet to move toward the autonomous mobile robot in a case where it is determined that the autonomous mobile robot moves toward the pallet in the state of keeping the cargo lifted above the predetermined height by the placement section in accordance with the predetermined plan. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ A dolly control step that, in a case where it is determined that there is a predetermined plan for the autonomous mobile robot to move toward the dolly while maintaining a state in which the dolly lifts the cargo to a predetermined height or higher, controls the dolly to move toward the autonomous mobile robot.

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